2021 Festival Is Cancelled

February 10, 2021: News regarding the 2021 Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival
 
The 2021 Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival has been cancelled due to ongoing concerns regarding COVID and the safety of our performers, patrons, and volunteers. 
 
To assist the SJRF Board in determining the best course of action regarding the 2021 Festival, a survey was distributed to several hundred performers, donors, sponsors, attendees, and volunteers soliciting opinions on various options including:      

• Cancel the 2021 festival
  
• Postpone the Festival until fall
• Hold reduced venue Festival
• Continue with Syncopated Saturday Night virtual concerts
• Produce a virtual concert
• Other comments

Responses were received from a good cross section of survey recipients. The feedback is summarized as follows:

• Most expressed concerns for the health and safety of all involved as connected with Covid.
• Rescheduling to the fall would create competition with other festivals traditionally holding their festival at that time, as well as conflicts with performer schedules.
• A majority indicated a preference for a full festival venue and not a reduced venue festival.
• Our foundation does not have the resources required to produce a virtual concert.
• There was a general appreciation for what the Sedalia Festival offers and an understanding of the difficult decision facing the Board.
• A decision regarding the June festival needed to be made by March to avoid losing significant upfront money.
• Projections verify that significantly reduced attendance at a fesival would create future financial hardship for the Foundation.

 All things being considered, the SJRF Board voted to cancel an on-site 2021 festival.  And further to:

• Continue producing the virtual Syncopated Saturday Night concerts.
• Produce a virtual Festival Friday on June 4, 2021 and Syncopated Saturday Night on June 5, 2021, perhaps incorporating symposia, and special presentations
• Begin planning for a Jubilee Celebration Ragtime Festival in 2022. 

We look forward to greeting you in Sedalia June 1-4 2022.